Rondeau Cottagers Association believe enough studies have been done – it's time to make a decision

The public can have say with respect to leases being extended another 21 years for the owners of 282 private cottages located inside Rondeau Provincial Park.

Ontario Parks and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) are inviting public comment until June 17 on a proposal for a lease extension to Dec. 31, 2038, which is being evaluated as a Category B project under A Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves.

The Chatham Daily News made inquires Friday to seek information about the process and received an e-mail response from MNRF.

As for when a final decision is expected on whether the current lease – set to expire Dec. 31, 2017 – will be extended, the ministry stated this is “subject to the completion and outcomes of several processes including environmental assessment and Indigenous and public consultation.”

An advertisement for this process, states: “Potential negative environmental effects associated with the proposed project would be mitigated to the extent possible through conditions, including some new conditions that would limit certain activities carried out on the cottage lots.”

The Daily News asked what are the potential negative environmental effects that need to be mitigated and what conditions are proposed to achieve this?

The MNRF said it has screened this proposed project as Category B, “having low to medium net negative environmental effects and/or Indigenous, public or agency concern.

“The proposed project may have impacts on key values, such as species at risk and their habitat, provincially significant natural features, vegetation and connections between habitats.”

The MNRF added: “Mitigation measures would include new conditions that would limit certain activities carried out on cottage lots, such as prohibiting the use of pesticides and fertilizers and requiring periodic inspections and remediation of septic systems.”

Dr. David Colby, president of the Rondeau Cottagers Association (RCA), told The Daily News the movement towards securing a lease extension is “a positive development.”

However, “this is not what I would call an optimal kind of offer,” he added, noting cottagers are in a time-limited situation as the current lease expiry approaches.

“They've had so long to be able to get ready for this and they are endlessly doing property surveys and (environmental and economic) studies . . . and they keep saying a decision hasn't been made yet,” Colby said.

“There are more than enough studies that have been done already, there's no need to delay this process any farther,” he added.

Brian French, RCA vice-president, said all of the ministry's studies have indicated the entire park ecosystem is “extremely healthy.”

He added, “we accept that they want to do their due diligence and look at it as a Class B, but as far as we're concerned leaving everything exactly as it is, is the least possible harm to the environment.”

French said if the 282 cottages were demolished, “that would be a significant risk to the species in the park,” noting numerous five-lined skink use wooden walkways from cottages to the beach as their habitat.

French also said it’s not actually a 21-year lease extension that is being proposed by the MNRF.

He said all leaseholders will be offered a five-year lease extension from 2018 to the end of 2022. Beyond that, “using absolutely undefined, unknown criteria, the MNRF will determine if they're going to offer us an additional 16 years.”

Colby said if these kinds of conditions are going to be put in place to get beyond what seems to be a “five-year probationary period,” the ministry must specify what conditions will have to be met.

Otherwise, “I don't know what we're agreeing to.”

When asked about this situation, the MNRF responded that a final decision on the cottage lots will be “informed by environmental and economic studies, the completion and outcomes of an environmental assessment, and Indigenous and public consultation.”

The MNRF added if the government offers existing cottagers the opportunity to “extend their term of occupation to 2038, cottagers would first need to meet a number of eligibility requirements. The various processes (e.g., environmental assessment) will help to inform what the eligibility requirements would be.

“The eligibility requirements would be announced upon completion of, and depending on the outcomes of, all required processes.”

While there still appears to be a lot of hurdles to clear, French said it’s a significant step towards a lease extension.

“We hope that everyone in Chatham-Kent and the South Kent community, especially, will show their support for extending these leases,” he said, adding the cottagers are a vital part of the economy and the community in this area.